The Chipolopolo Boys squandered a two-goal lead to lose 5-6 on penalties to Zimbabwe and miss the 4-Nations tournament final match.
Kenya will play the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the finals after they mounted an incredible comeback victory over Chipolopolo Boys.
BolaNews evaluates the Copper Bullets’ performance following their semifinal loss to Zimbabwe.
GOALKEEPER
Lawrence Mulenga (6/10): Mulenga came up with a couple of decent saves despite conceding twice against Zimbabwe.
DEFENDERS
Benedict Chepeshi (6/10): The Red Arrows defender put his body on the line producing some crunch tackles and timely interceptions.
Stopilla Sunzu (7/10): It was a bitter-sweet experience for the 2012 AfCON winner, who put Zambia ahead with a header before missing the decisive penalty.
Dominic Chanda (4/10): He had a performance to forget against Zimbabwe after failing to track the runs of goalscorers Bonne Miles and Walter Musona.
Kebson Kamanga (5/10): Kamanga’s passing was quite poor against Zimbabwe, as the left-back gave the ball away cheaply.
MIDFIELDERS
Emmanuel Banda (6/10): The midfielder assisted Stopilla Sunzu’s opening goal before eventually missing a spot-kick in the penalty shootout.
Miguel Chaiwa (8/10): Chaiwa made vital recoveries and passes in the middle of the park, he was a joy to watch.
Clatous Chota Chama (7/10): The Simba SC midfielder scored Chipolopolo’s second goal from outside just 23 minutes into the match.
Forwards
Ghamphani Lungu (6/10): The South African-based striker had big boots to fill against Zimbabwe. Lungu struggled to mirror the flair and creativity of Lameck Banda.
Kennedy Musonda (5/10): Musonda was kept at bay by Zimbabwe’s back line throughout in the 70 minutes he featured on the pitch.
Patson Daka (6/10): Daka will be disappointed not to find the back of the net against Zimbabwe, given his recent form for the Copper Bullets. However, the striker registered an assist against the Warriors.
SUBSTITUTES
Gift Mphande (7/10): Mphande was very solid at the back for the Chipolopolo, who conceded some cheap goals in the first half.
Fredrick Mulambia and Golden Mashata (both 6/10): They brought some energy into the match as the Chipolopolo pushed for a late winner.
Toaster Nsabata (6/10): He would have been the hero with his two outstanding saves but for missing one penalty himself.
COACH
Avram Grant (5/10): Not a convincing performance from a Chipolopolo outfit that was favorite to win the Four Nations Tournament. However, the former Chelsea FC manager has a shot at redemption in the third-place playoff against Malawi.
READ ALSO: Coaches react to Malawi–Kenya outcome in 4-nations tourney.
